ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. fall — the season
  3. dip — to sink
  4. tube — the underground
  5. charge — in control
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. roll — a list
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — a container
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. sharp — clever
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. roll — a cake
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. sharp — with an edge

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com